EPIX President Michael Wright on Streaming Service, 2019 Slate and More

March 26, 2019

Back in February, pay TV channel Epix launched its new service, Epix Now, which allows subscribers to access MGM’s full library of original programming and blockbuster movies, without a cable subscription. Epix Now is available through the Apple App Store and through Google Play, with support for more devices coming soon. Epix President Michael Wright, having been at the helm since November 2017, spoke to Deadline about the new and upcoming changes at Epix.

Wright spoke about the wealth of data that the network will get from its various platforms, noting that “only half of our viewership at this point comes from the linear world. The rest of it is coming from authenticated apps, digital platforms… What I want to know is which show is creating conversations, which show is compelling somebody to subscribe or to a free trial, which show is compelling somebody to renew.”

The new streaming service will open up Epix to a greater number of potential subscribers—it had only been available to customers of a select few cable providers. And they’re actively working on making Epix available through every cable provider. “We’ve added 80 million homes in the last year,so the number of consumers now available to us is exponentially larger,” said Wright. “Now you can use what is your greatest tool, which is a great compelling show that gets attention.”

Epix’s upcoming new series include Pennyworth, set in the Batman universe; Perpetual Grace, Ltd., a neo-noir, and Godfather of Harlem, a period piece starring Forest Whitaker. Wright characterizes his programming strategy as “storytelling for adults, for grownups, [with] sophisticated narrative, complex character, thematic relevance, and a cinematic quality.”